The Coalition supports member school districts in their continuous efforts to improve the academic performance of their students through the following initiatives.
Curriculum Pathways is an online product that provides a wealth of resources in all the core academic disciplines in grades 8-12. The product is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between teachers and technology experts who serve as resource partners in providing tools and support that assist teachers in:
- Teaching a standards-based curriculum
- Preparing students for college-level learning
- Instilling 21st century skills
- Meeting achievement and accountability criteria
The SAS inSchool Curriculum Pathways initiative is endorsed by the Berks Business Education Coalition as a significant strategy to improve student academic competency. Resources are provided to schools to assist schools in integrating the Curriculum Pathways program into their curriculum and instructional practices.
Performance Pathways is an initiative of our member schools designed to provide educators with the tools and expertise to make data-informed decisions about instructional modifications necessary to continuously improve student achievement. Performance Pathways is a suite of tools developed to provide educators the opportunity to view student performance in conjunction with instructional curriculum and practices, and to modify instruction accordingly to improve student performance. The Coalition is supporting school district efforts through facilitating the development of professional development consortia and through funding support for teacher and administrator training.
The Berks Business Education Coalition is committed to assisting schools in increasing the number of their graduates who transition successfully from high school to further education. The Higher Education/Basic Education initiative has at it foundation the enhancement of communication between basic and higher education within Berks County. A standing committee comprised of representatives from higher and basic education meets frequently to discuss strategies that can be utilized to increase the participation of high school graduates in further education.
Programs that have developed from the initiative include facilitated entire class visits to college campuses in Berks County to introduce college life to students in grades 8 and 9, and to provide the necessary information for students to plan appropriately for entrance into college, and "How to Get to College" posters that describe the necessary preparatory steps students need to take to successfully enter college.